Adjustable fastening means for nether garments



Dec. 16, 1952 DON 2,621,335

ADJUSTABLE FASTENING MEANS FOR NETHER GARMEIN'I'S' Filed Aug. 13, 1949 I IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE FASTENING MEANS FOR NETHER GARMENTS 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a sanitary garment for use by persons of all ages and it has for its object to provide improved means of adjusting such garment to the end that it may be readily adapted to variations in the body sizes of persons diifering in physical development. It is to be understood that the garment will be made in various sizes for use by infants, as well as older children and adults, but that the adjustability of the garment is such that very few sizes need to be kept in stock and that the garment may be readily adjusted to the particular individual for whom it is intended. With this and other objects in view the invention resides in the combinations herein fully described and a preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a garment embodying the. invention and showing the device in partly folded condition in order better to illustrate important features thereof;

Fig. 2 shows the garment of the invention as it appears when completely folded;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the garment illustrating certain novel adjusting means; and

Fig. 4 is a substantially corresponding view taken in the direction of the arrow 5 of Fig. 3.

The body portion of the device is shown made from a single piece of material which is shaped at the upper end thereof to provide laterally extending wings I and 2, below which the body portion of the garment is shown recessed at 3 and 4, to provide when the garment is fully folded as indicated in Fig. 2, openings 5, 6 for the legs of the wearer of the garment. The lower portion of the garment forms a flap, the side edges 1, 8 of which are downwardly tapered in such a manner that when the garment is folded, as indicated in Fig. 2, these side edges take a position over the folded upper portion of the garment in close proximity to the folds thereof. When the garment is folded, as indicated in Fig. 2, it is seen that ample space is provided for the extension of the legs of the individual through the openings 5, 6, and that the upper edge of the garment may be made to fit snugly about the waist of the wearer; but while the garment may be adjusted to fit the particular individual for whom it is intended, it is important to note that the openings 5, 6, provide freedom of leg movement and afford complete ventilation of the garment.

The means by which the garment is fastened together is shown to consist of a plurality of snap fasteners, a series of elements of which are mounted on the lower flap portion of the garment, as indicated at [0, ll, l2 and I3, for engagement with a. similar series of component elements I4, l5, l6 and I1, secured to the wings of the garment on the opposite side thereof. The elements secured to the lower flap of the garment may be ordinary recessed snap fastener elements secured directly to the fabric of the body material of the garment, whereas, the. projecting elements of the fasteners are mounted on a member I 8, which forms a buckle by means of which the adjustment of the garment to fit the body of the wearer may be effected. This buckle forming member of the snap fasteners is not secured directly to the body material of the garment, but it is mounted on a strap 20, the ends 2|, 22 of which are rigidly secured in position along the edge of the garment. As indicated in the, drawings, the buckle member consists of the plate It having along the side edges thereof narrow elongated perforations 23, 24, through which the strap is fed before it is mounted in position on the garment. The snap fastener element is rigidly secured to the plate in central position thereon and it is outwardly projecting therefrom.

In making the garment, the strap 20 is laid flat on the material thereof after the buckle plate [8 has been placed on the strap, whereupon the strap is secured in position on the garment. It follows that when all the straps are mounted in position in this manner, the garment attains its maximum size when it is completely folded about the body of the wearer and the snap fastener elements engaged. Each of the straps may then be adjusted to reduce the size of the garment by gripping the plate E8 of the fastener with the fingers on one hand while with the other drawing the central portion of the strap through the perforations of the plate to form the loop 20 substantially as indicated in Fig. until the proper fit is obtained, whereupon this looped portion of the strap may be folded against the inner surface of the plate and strap, and the finger grip on the fastener released. The strap will then remain in this position of adjustment so long as the garment remains on the body of the wearer. The slots through the plate are merely wide enough to draw the material of the strap through the slots during the initial adjustment of the garment and when the width of the slot is correctly proportioned, there will be no slippage while the garment remains in position on the body of the wearer. The outer side edges 27, 28 of the slots through the plate [8 may, in addition, be serrated as indicated in Fig.

3, further to insure against slippage of the strap; but while I have found this type of buckle and snap element combination satisfactory, I wish it understood that any other suitable type of buckle may be employed, the important feature of the device being that the buckle at all times remains in position on the strap and that both ends of the strap are rigidly secured to the material of the garment. There is, for this reason, no possibility of the buckle becoming disengaged from the strap or the strap becoming twisted in use and difiicult to handle as would be the case if one end of the strap only were fastened to the garment and the other end free to hang down loosely.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple garment which may be quickly adjusted to the body of the individual wearing the garment and which will remain in adjusted position when the garment is removed for cleaning or for other purposes and again remounted. It should be clear also that very few sizes of garments are required since one size should suflice for use on babies and larger infants, another size on growing children perhaps two or three sizes for adults.

The garment is preferably made from moisture-proof material and may form a pair of pants for use directly on the body of the wearer or as a covering for suitable napkin to be placed within the garment at the time it is mounted in position. When designed for direct contact with the body of the wearer, it may be found preferable to use some suitable fabric material, in which case the ends of the straps conveniently would be stitched on to the borders of the garment, as indicated at 2!, 22, in Fig. 3. But where it is preferred to employ some moisture resisting material, such as a plastic composition, in the making of the garment, it would be proper to apply the ends of the straps to the borders of the garment by applying heat to fuse the contacting sur- Number faces together. Or, if preferred, some suitable well known solvent may be applied to the contacting surfaces for the purpose of securing the straps in position. But while I have in the drawings illustrated the preferred form of the invention, I do not intend thereby to be limited to the exact shapes and proportions indicated, but reserve the right to embody modifications within the scope of the claim hereto appended.

I claim:

Adjusting means for a garment made from a sheet of material having laterally extending identically shaped wings foldable over the back of the garment, said wings having tapering upper and lower borders, the lower portion of the garment forming a flap foldable over the folded wings and having downwardly tapering side edges, said adjusting means comprising; a band placed along and fastened at both ends thereof to each of the tapering upper and lower borders of the garment wings, a buckle on each band for manual adjustment of the length thereof, a snap fastener element on each buckle, and a pair of snap fastener elements on each of the side edges of the garment flap for engagement with the elements of said buckles when the flap is folded over the folded wings of the garment.

FLORENCE BROWN SHELDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,654,479 Fenton Dec. 27, 1927 1,707,189 Hayden Mar. 26, 1929 1,833,960 Alsop Dec. 1, 1931 2,143,561 Koppelman Jan. 10, 1939 2,431,571 Lehr Nov. 25, 1947 2,531,900 Andrews Nov. 28, 1950 

